Columbia, SC Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Default hours
- official sunset to official sunrise
- Governing section
- City Code § 15-4
- Tot lots/mini parks
- sunrise to sunset
- Neighborhood centers (summer)
- 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Neighborhood centers (school year)
- 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Penalty basis
- general penalty, Sec. 1-5
Summary
Under Sec. 15-4(a), Columbia closes its parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, ball diamonds, tennis courts, greenbelts and other recreational facilities to the general public daily from official sunset until sunrise, with notice posted at each facility's main entrance. Some sites carry their own posted hours layered on top of that default closure.
Except as otherwise provided herein, all city parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, ball diamonds, tennis courts, athletic or recreational facilities, greenbelts or any other areas, real property or other premises designated for public recreational use by the city (recreational facilities) shall be closed daily to the general public from official sunset to official sunrise. Official sunrise to sunset as defined by the National Weather Service for Columbia, South Carolina and published by The State Newspaper.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 15-4(a), last amended by Ord. No. 2021-063, sets the citywide default: all city parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, ball diamonds, tennis courts, athletic or recreational facilities, greenbelts or any other areas designated for public recreational use by the city are closed daily to the general public from official sunset to official sunrise, using sunrise and sunset times as published by the National Weather Service for Columbia and printed in The State newspaper. during the academic year, while unstaffed neighborhood parks follow the sunrise-to-sunset default. Sec.
15-1 separately bans a long list of conduct inside any park at any hour, including damaging property, unauthorized fires, and littering, and Sec. 15-1(9) specifically bars possessing or igniting fireworks in a park unless the parks department and fire marshal permit it. Because Chapter 15 does not set its own fine for an after-hours or Sec. 15-1 violation, punishment defaults to the Code's general penalty at Sec. 1-5.
Violations & Fines
Being in a city park, playground, ball field, or greenbelt after official sunset or before official sunrise violates Sec. 15-4(a); violating any of the specific prohibited acts in Sec. 15-1, such as damaging park property, unauthorized fires, or fireworks, is a separate offense. Neither section sets its own fine, so punishment falls under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-5: up to a $500.00 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Columbia's parks close?
Are all Columbia parks on the same schedule?
What's the penalty for being in a Columbia park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
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